I'm sitting in the office now, looking out the window at a bittersweet sight. Grant, Jess, Thuts and Lungi are playing double dutch... Reed is holding Innocent (an orphan at iThemba Lethu) tightly in his arms.
Tandeka and Stella are watching the girls play and cheering them on. They too are orphans here, but couldn't have found a better home to call their own. The love they receive here simply cannot be put in words.
Today we leave Durban. As much as I look forward to to being home with family and friends, I'm not sure my heart is ready to say goodbye to all these wonderful people. Grant and I have taken a special liking to a certain little 3yr old. She has so much spirit and almost always has a big, beautiful smile on her face (the only exception is when she's demanding to be picked up so she can terrorize the office). What a little sweetie pie :) I prayed for strength this morning.
Thankfully, our camp went so well this weekend. We met another group of gifted children. Each one special in their own unique way.
To be mindful of time, we will save our stories and experiences for when we see you. Please pray for a safe and uneventful trip home. It took us 30 hours to get here. We are gearing up for another long trip back :)
Love you all and hope everything is well with you.
Hugs and kisses,
Andrea
So excited to have you guys back and hear your amazing stories. No need to keep it to 30 min. with us, we know all about that :)
ReplyDeleteBe assured that we are all praying for a safe completion of this journey and added blessings on transit back.
-Shawn
Hey - Twinks thanks so much for your transparency in this post. It brings back a gush of feelings for me. How is it possible to love two very different places so much? It's something so unexplainable.
ReplyDeleteMy heart is with you as you leave your heart behind in S. Africa with those children and the wonderful people you've met.
I will be praying for your safe travel and am so so excited to see you all back safe and sound. Wish so much I could be there to welcome you back to Seattle. Just imagine Ana and I with big welcome home signs!! :)
Love you - J
Friends, Such an amazing time it sounds like you all had! So glad to have you back home very soon. Excited to meet you all at the airport but sad you had to leave all those children behind. Keep in mind, you can always go back and adopt =)
ReplyDeleteWe will be praying that your travels are uneventful, and we absolutly can not wait to hear about everything!!
Also, just got a text from Grant that said you are already in DC, just one more flight to go!
Love you all,
Praying for the last leg of your travels. Bet you guys are ready to be home! God has done a work through you guys. Get rest and then come ready to share! We're stoked to hear!
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